Slow Life
by Ira Dei
Summary: Life can be painfully slow at most times, and at the mid of his thirties, Matsuno Karamatsu wished that some surprises will come knock by his door; it's just that he did not expect the surprise came in form as his own, long lost brother, and a baby that his aforementioned brother carried with full of love.
1. Begin Again

Life is painfully slow and boring at most times, according to Matsuno Karamatsu.

He cannot say that he had lost his youth or whatsoever; it's just that he's already on his thirties, and he had learned his fair share of mistakes. Being a NEET is fun and all, but eventually, all of them must grow up and be the proper man like the society wished Karamatsu to be—no matter if he loathed it, so fortunately, he doesn't—and so here he is.

Small apartment by the river, and outside had been the first snow of the year. Usually he had been all up to going out and cooed over some ladies who will wear high heels in the midst of snow piling up the roads, but not today, maybe. Karamatsu had not being up to cold lately, and he's now kind of missing his lazy times where he doesn't have to go to work, and laze off all day long with his brothers. Daily commutes and the shorter time available to meet his brothers had make him tired, although he cannot believe that there will be a day in his life that he prefer to enjoy snow while laying around the house rather than spend some time outside.

Routine does kill his stamina in one way or another.

Welp, not like he can complained much. He is now an adult, and while he started his work from the very bottom being the chef helper back at the kitchen—not the first occupation he would've prefer, obviously—however, lately he had been getting slowly to the top of the food chain and getting some fame as the awesome newcomer chef. At least in the end he still got himself shot for magazines and getting called for some interviews, which is awesome, and that was what Karamatsu wanted at the first place; some fame, recognition, and acknowledgement.

Seems like getting all the fame you used to wish for doesn't really bring the best feeling of happiness inside for Karamatsu.

Well, whatever, today is his off day, and he should take this opportunity to sort his life a bit better. He had forgotten to wash the dishes he left since last week, and clean up some parts around his house. Returning things to the place it was all supposed to be, while waiting for his package to come—he ordered some box of chocolates and a bottle of wine he cannot find in his local store, so that might reward him well by the end of the day.

Thing is, Karamatsu did not have to wait for so long until someone knocks the door. Ah, how Karamatsu had been really satisfied with the post office's service lately. They always came earlier than expected, and that's great because that's how cool person like him should be treated, isn't it. "Comin' there!" he shouted loudly, while walking towards the door after taking some money from his wallet. He had asked for cash on delivery previously, so he got to pay it right now… ah, nice chocolates and a bottle of chilled wine must be great to spend his afternoon break—

—although, apparently chocolates and wine are not the ones about to coming in.

It was _someone_ from the past.

"You got some empty bed?"

* * *

Matsuno Ichimatsu had never been a fan of hyperbolism, but he know well that his brothers did love it, so he decided to crashing in for several days or months—or whenever—without telling anything, especially to this particular Shittymatsu that's on the list on one of the most obnoxious people ever existing in his life.

It's not like that he hated Matsuno Karamatsu in entirety; however, if he got other choices, he wouldn't even bother to run towards any of his brothers, but apparently Karamatsu's stupidity saved him this time, so at the very least he got to thank God that he got such a stupid brother to know about pretty well. Ichimatsu had been pretty confident that he already gone somewhere far enough from where he came from, so at the very least he was relieved that at least there will be a place for him to stay for—uh, he wasn't so sure—God knows how long he could be here.

Matsuno Ichimatsu also had expected not so friendly greetings or any kinds of normal greetings with small talks and whatsoever. He doesn't into those stuffs too anyway, so it's good that Ichimatsu can skip the small talks part and hurried to get inside. "Step aside, Shittymatsu. I got some important stuffs right over here, and my stuff, in particular, cannot stand cold."

Oh, of course Karamatsu would notice by what Ichimatsu had told before as his 'stuff'.

A _fucking_ baby.

What in the world is happening to Ichimatsu.

"W-wait! What the hell—" while Karamatsu had hoped his daily routine will slightly change into something more surprising, never in his life he ever expected to see Ichimatsu finally back after years gone missing somewhere no one knows; in addition, he wasn't alone, there was a _damn_ baby being carried on to his chest to keep the said 'stuff' warm and unhurt. "I'd appreciate it if you'd be a bit more polite and at least greet me properly—"

"Still shitty as always, huh." Ichimatsu practically did not care at all, what's important at that time was that the baby is safe, and in Karamatsu's life, never did he saw such a sincere relieved expression coming from his younger brother. "I'll greet you later, need to take care of my child first. We got through a rough snowstorm before…"

Well, there goes the traditional way of politeness—wait.

Did Ichimatsu really said that baby was his own child?

Oh God, the idea of his younger brother getting laid is already something quite hard to be imagined, least of someone like Ichimatsu taking care of a child. All Karamatsu known about his brother that Ichimatsu is a complete shut, has the least amount of fucks to be given to others, and pretty much being either intentionally or unintentionally mysterious.

Guess after all, you know nothing of your own brother, huh.

They had their own lives, though. The whole thing was, in a sense, normal if by those spun of times, especially to those who had particularly had no contacts in any kinds of way, that there are things Karamatsu yet to know. It's just that normal to see your own brothers, started as mostly good-for-nothing, and now some of them are already or almost on their way to success. So it shouldn't be much of a surprise if Ichimatsu decided to actually trust someone, managed to get laid, and produce an offspring before he actually dead.

But the idea is just weird.

It doesn't like that he faced his own brother, to be honest.

"…your child?" Karamatsu asking with a distinct doubt can be heard from his intonation. "Wow… you… do actually have a child… wow." The idea of Ichimatsu finally getting laid is really a damn mystery for Karamatsu, really. "So where's your wife the—"

"Don't have."

Silence.

"What?"

"Don't ask about that."

His Ichimatsu is still the same Matsuno Ichimatsu that Karamatsu had known for years, apparently. So he laughed, and then told Ichimatsu that he's still the same back as before, "…and I'm much smarter than you guys." He smirked, and then slowly caressing his baby's cheek. "It's good that she's better now. It's fine if I just turn on the heat, right?"

"Y-yeah, sure."

Karamatsu is still not really sure about what's happening in here, but at the very least, if there is something he can be a help, Ichimatsu might want to appreciate it even if that's for a little bit.

He loved his brothers so much, anyway.

Especially for the kinds like Ichimatsu, he didn't even bother that he actually missed his little brother pretty much all these times.

(He kind of hoping that Ichimatsu might feel the same, guess, judging by his action, Ichimatsu is being the usual Ichimatsu where no fucks were given even if that's for him, Karamatsu.)

"So… where have you been all these times?"

That, technically is the first reasonable question that anyone would ask to someone that suddenly gone missing few years back. However, considering that Karamatsu is trying to talk to Ichimatsu, he wasn't expecting the nicest answer, anyway.

"Somewhere far." Ichimatsu looked like gazing over the ceiling of his apartment. "For someone as shitty as you, you got yourself some nice flat to live in, huh, Shittymatsu?"

Yep, there he goes with his usual remarks.

"Got here with some luck. Well, what would you expect from someone as cool as me, anyway?" Karamatsu laughed a bit loud, and his eyes peered towards his younger brother once more. "But did you have fun?"

"Huh?"

"Living by yourself, get laid, and all that stuffs?"

"Hm." His younger brother did not say much, that, to be expected anyway, so Karamatsu wouldn't bother. "They got their own fair share of the fun and not fun part, I guess."

Oh, well. Life seems to get along with Ichimatsu, huh. That's great to hear, although right now is a bit awkward, he supposed.

"And this baby?" Karamatsu get a bit closer to the baby, and slowly caressing the cheek. Oh, it feels so soft and… tender, maybe. The latter description made the cute looking little angel, pure and untainted, turn into a fucking chicken breast. "What's her story?"

Ichimatsu seemed a bit reluctant when the question was mentioned to him. "I don't want to bother to go on to the detail…" he told Karamatsu, with a slow voice. Kept on hugging and fondling the baby in attempt to make the baby more relaxed—or some sort. Honestly, Ichimatsu doesn't have any kinds of experience with this… thing. Obviously he cannot treat a baby like he treat a kitten, doesn't he.

"Oh… right. Okay. You don't mind to tell the details, I can understand… sort of." Karamatsu sighed. "So what's her name?"

There was a moment of silence, and Ichimatsu wasn't looking really sure. He kept on staring to his child, and looked like he was thinking about something until he opened his own mouth, saying the answer Karamatsu least expected to get.

"…I haven't named her actually."

Karamatsu swear that this might be the most awkward conversation he had been gone through so far.


	2. At Home

Karamatsu had said this before, but still, the idea of his brother having a child—and seems by it, the nameless baby (oh God, that's still idiot no matter how do you think of it) is incredibly unsettling for him. Matsuno Ichimatsu got laid, banged a woman, and afterwards went away with the baby that this idiot couple hadn't even bother to give a name to.

The whole thing had been idiot enough, and look who always said that Karamatsu is the idiot one.

"You know… instead of chugging on my wine bottle and eating all of my chocolates… don't you think you got any other things to be done?"

Honestly, Matsuno Karamatsu wouldn't be any surprised if he found out that his younger brother had turn out to be a drug dealer or some sort like that, but apparently other than his seemingly-permanent dark bags under his eyes, nothing worse had happened to his brother.

Maybe.

It's not like Ichimatsu isn't the kind of person who will submit to someone easily. The other party will most likely be the one who get scared first, Karamatsu really believed on that. Even amongst the sextuplets, Ichimatsu is something… different. Everyone sort of fearing him, and he sort of putting down some clear distance between himself and the rest of the world, so getting intimate with Ichimatsu is something so foreign from Karamatsu's perspective.

(At least he's not forgotten like himself, but that's not what he want to talk about in here)

"Oh c'mon, I hadn't really got something great lately. Let me just enjoy this, Shittymatsu." He kept on eating those chocolates. Damn, those Godiva chocolates are expensive as fuck. "This chocolate is really nice."

Karamatsu sighed. "But I'm the one who bought those, _my dear_ brother." He didn't knew what to do at this point anymore. "At least buy your own."

"Yeah, when I already got my own money. Don't worry, I'll repay every penny I lent from you, Shittymatsu." Ichimatsu told Karamatsu with a lazy smile, and then started to get up and carrying his (still) nameless baby. This is getting more and more stupid to describe, a _fucking_ nameless baby. "Still, you told me that I can live in here for some time, so that makes me valid to consume and use anything in your house, right? Didn't you say that you love your brothers so much…?"

He fucking smirked. _God damn_.

"I fucking hate you."

"You're welcome, me too."

"Do you really need to fuss everything about what I do in your house?"

Ichimatsu is totally unbearable.

"Well of course it's my own house, my rule, and you hadn't been up to following the rules I expected you to follow." Karamatsu made sure that the door had been closed properly, and proceeds to walk. Welp, he finally had to go out of his house for today, huh. Snow still falling down, raining as heck, and Karamatsu hadn't really feeling on going out, if his brother did not barge in all of sudden and eating all of his leftovers—which, wasn't that much, but still worth one or two times to eat. "And you sure that baby is legitimately your child? I don't want to deal with charges that I helped to hide a baby from illegal trafficking or something like that."

"Jerking off is only for virgins, like yours, especially." A moment of silence, before Ichimatsu turned his head and looked at Karamatsu with a stare. "I told you it's my own daughter. So would you just shut your mouth if you don't really have anything important to say? I'd appreciate it by not disturbing you or taking your food anymore."

"Fair enough." Karamatsu sighed, and proceeded to walk beside Ichimatsu. "I hope you don't make any mess while you're in here."

Karamatsu's stare laid on Ichimatsu, who still tried to hug the child tight in his arms. It was winter, and snow are still falling down. Yet, all he did was to cover the baby so that she didn't get cold, and Ichimatsu hugged the child tightly in his arms.

"I won't."

Karamatsu didn't miss that little smile with such a loving eyes, though.

(It was so weird, really.)

* * *

Growing up is weird.

One time you're so close until you're inseparable with your twins, and the other time, everything go on their separate ways. It felt so weird, and while Karamatsu had to admit that living with his brothers hadn't been a 100% nice experience, doesn't mean that when they decided to go off independently and no one is together anymore, it wouldn't felt so weird. It's the same feeling where one second Karamatsu loathed his own brothers, and the other second came the feeling that he could never even actually able on hating them.

In one sense or another, probably Karamatsu is the one who's the masochist.

Karamatsu cannot picture himself quite well about what he plans to do anyway. Since his twenties, he would pronounce the infamous line of "no plan" to everyone; chasing girls, hoping someone will give him some attention, and so the thought of being at least locally famous always occurs in his mind up until his last interview, and realized that this _might_ not be the one that he wanted all along.

He really is the no-plan guy, who has no idea about himself.

Moreover, why, from all surprises, it should be one of the brothers that hate him the most that come in front of his house knocking and asking for help. Well, it's not like he doesn't want to help, but living together, just with the two of them without any distractions of the others like it used to, Karamatsu had some doubt that he would actually be a good host.

(Honestly, although it's kind of sweet that he finally being an uncle of some sort, the whole thing is still irritating.)

"So, you got laid, and you don't know how to take care a baby, also on top of that, I got to pay for your expenses until you managed to get a job." Karamatsu sighed deeply. He had spent the whole road in silence while contemplating about why it should be someone that he has the most of sentiment got to be the surprise he dreamt all this time. "You know, at least be a bit responsible on your child by giving a name, at the very least. Dunno, something like Matsukaze sounds great." He walked away, arriving at the department store and started to look on some things that he may want to buy. Maybe he has to think some more casual… like, maybe what's for dinner, and all that stuffs.

Thinking too much is so not like him.

"My decision is not your business, Shittymatsu." Ichimatsu clicked his tongue, and proceeded to buy some other essentials—baby powder, okay what's the difference between the oil and powder—and things that they need… he doesn't know what to do at this point other than buying diapers and changing it every day. "I'll manage this by myself… I named my own child by myself… nosy Shittymatsu…"

Another minute, and he heard a basket full of baby essentials being dropped beside of him. That must be Shittymatsu's doing. The next second Ichimatsu tried to look up—he was squatting to see some of the products—was spent with them eyeing on each other with hostility.

"That's because I don't trust you at all."

If there are something Karamatsu can be blatantly honest about Ichimatsu, then that's that.

"You don't really need to bother, though, really."

(No one probably should.)

If it's not because of Karamatsu's stupidity for putting his _damn fucking_ address on internet, probably Ichimatsu will ended up on somewhere else; obviously his brothers hadn't be his ever choice, but maybe he was already so hopeless that he might need any kind of help he can receive. If he has the chance to pick who, amongst his brothers, then he would most likely choose Choromatsu because he might be the most reasonable to talk with since… since, dunno when. He just kind of seeing Choromatsu being the somewhat-responsible being among them.

(Man, he's so fucking vulnerable, asking for help.)

Things had change so much, and that's understandable if Karamatsu is being hostile towards him. He might as well being considered as a leech anyway; no contacts for years, and one day coming in on a snowstorm, rudely. Not to mention his first bonding time with his most hated brother is not going so well—welp, Ichimatsu wasn't really wanted to be much of a leech, anyway.

It's also incredibly weird to see your own brother is finally become something decent—well, not really, his Shittymatsu is still the one that will do the nasty wink at the cashier girls, and talk pretty, but at the very least he wasn't that much of obnoxious anymore.

He had actually learn to be more of a sweet talker and _actually_ being alluring, that's weird. It's really weird to see Karamatsu had grown into someone more mature, and somewhat reliable, although the laidback and the cooing did never stop. Honestly, it's embarrassing that right now, his supposedly-adult brother is being so damn ridiculous. He even still brought that obnoxious sunglasses that is absolutely unnecessary in this winter where everywhere is basically dark, dark, and another dark. Snow keeps on piling, and there is no excuses on using the sunglasses than actually being the usually unbearable Karamatsu, that's it.

If Karamatsu will tone down some of those painful acts, maybe Ichimatsu will grow to like his older brother from years before.

"Come on, you're being the embarrassing one in here, shit…"

Really, at this point Ichimatsu just want to go home. His hand is getting tired for carrying his little baby, anyway. Should he buy some stroller or such? Nah, he'll just going to carry his lovely daughter so he would focus more on his little blessing rather than spending energy to face-palming his brother's act.

He's going to get stuck with Karamatsu until he managed to settle down.

"I still want to do some shopping, stop complaining."

Damn.

Ichimatsu doubt that he would actually tell the whole story with a brother like this, anyway. "What do you want to buy again, anyway…" and seeing that they are right now stopping on a clothing store—ah, nope.

"Buy some more decent clothes rather than those skimpy-looking clothes."

"C-can we pick something else—" because, why, from all things that doesn't change from his brother is his weird fashion taste. Ichimatsu sure doesn't want to use those nasty-ass looking pants with all the glitters and decorations and stuffs. It does look itchy too, moreover.

"You're buying with my money, you got no other choice."

Shitty Shittymatsu.

* * *

So it seems he got to stuck with the idea of him, using this sickening, glittery looking pants. Well, on the plus side, he got a thicker jacket to withstand the crazy winter of the year, and got some pretty clothes for his daughter. In compensation of his brother's loving act, Ichimatsu had to wear this pants until he got the money to buy a more normal-looking pants.

"I hate you…"

"I heard that this morning. Hate you too." Karamatsu laughed it off. "Also I think it'll be good if you later try to make your own food for your own baby. Well, she still has to drink the milk for now, but it's better if you have learnt the basic."

"Why the hell you're being chef, anyway."

Karamatsu laughed. "The true gentleman is those who can cook and do house chores."

"You're so fucking obnoxious, just be a housewife." As usual, the response is swift and so blunt.

Ichimatsu still accepting the offer, though, in the end.

They had carrying all the groceries and making sure that there are no stuffs left in the car. Getting each stuffs out, putting it on the place it is supposed to be, and getting satisfied afterwards for Karamatsu's achievement that this time, he didn't really make any mess to his house right after he clean it. So satisfying. "I already prepared hot water before we got out, so if you want to make some milk, just take it. I'm gonna make dinner now." No matter how Karamatsu mention for so many times that he doesn't really get comfortable with the whole baby thing, added to the fact that Ichimatsu barely want to speak of anything about it, he just cannot let himself be the ignorant ones.

He got to grow up in some sort or another, and Karamatsu hoped that he really done as best as he can to be mature.

Not for the sake of his brother, not even the slightest.

"Oh, okay." Ichimatsu did get to make the milk immediately, and rushed back to his little baby once again. It still feel so weird that out of sudden he got to take care of a kid, and all the stuffs. He's not prepared, honestly, and Ichimatsu really hoped that everything written on internet about taking care of a baby is not misleading.

So then he tried to follow every written instruction. Waiting until the proper temperature to mix the formula, and making sure that all was in the right proportion.

"Oh, come on. All you gotta do is to mix the milk, not some complicated chemistry." Karamatsu told him, smiled a bit while his already-trained hand keep on wrapping the small wonton. Oh, so it's a Chinese wonton soup; that used to be a delicacy among the brothers. "And you don't need to use my measuring cup, God… it's just a milk…" once again he sighed heavily.

"Shut up, you chef…"

"That has nothing related to my job in particular—hey, It's just like making some coffee, relax." Karamatsu's eyes kept on wrapping those wonton fillings into the skin. With delicate fingers, he slowly closed the wonton on each edges, and let it be at one of the plates he had prepared before. "Not like your daughter gonna get choked or something like that as long as you can mix it pretty well."

It's a rare occasion to see Ichimatsu being worried over small stuffs—doesn't sounded like him, anyhow. "This blog says that I cannot feed my baby right now other than milk." Ichimatsu sighed, he doesn't really comfortable with the idea that Karamatsu willing to help with what's necessary for the baby—although he did catch his older brother seeing his baby with a bit of disdain.

It might be his own fucked up interpretation, but who knows.

"How old is she?"

"One month."

"Yeah, you shouldn't give anything else other than milk and sometimes water… I suppose. Gotta check the parental magazine again. You want to buy some? Y'know, like those mags that the mothers often buy." Said Karamatsu; the sound of the soup started to boil can be heard slowly, and he smiled while discarding some of the vegetables he used to add some flavor to the broth. Now it smells nice, and Karamatsu like it, just as perfect as he wished it to be. "It might come in handy."

"Those magazines only focuses on some stupid sex advices. Nothing really useful about taking care of a child." Ichimatsu groaned, seems like he got something pretty sensitive with those kinds of magazines. He fed his daughter, and looked a bit relieved when he saw her slowly drinking the milk. "Blogs are much better than those stupid advices."

"Looks like you already read those mags, huh."

"Fuck you."

"Hush, that's not how a parent should behave."

Then, silence.

There was only the sound of the soup keep on boiling, and another chopping sound where Karamatsu decided that he needed more green onion on his soup. It wasn't also that long until the baby felt that she's already full enough for that time, and so

"You don't want to tell them? I'm going to meet with everyone tomorrow after work, and we plan to drink and maybe hook on some girls." Karamatsu begun to open a new conversation. "You said you don't have wife right now, so maybe you wanna come? We can ask a nanny to care for her for a day."

He shook his head. "I don't really want to meet with others. Also I prefer to take care of my own responsibility." And rather than being embarrassed, there are some things that Ichimatsu wouldn't want to hear from them. Maybe something along the line 'we told you so', or things like 'then stop being like this!'. He's already tired of hearing those words which sounded like people always dictated his life for this and this, and that afterwards.

"Sounds like they are really troubling you." Karamatsu took a spoonful of soup and trying to taste it for a bit. "You cannot hide from them forever, though."

"I do have nothing with them, and I know that, it's just I don't really want to meet with them at all for now." Ichimatsu sighed, and walked to the chair at the countertop across the stove and proceeds to sit down while his right hand slowly grabs the baby's palm. "Also I had planned to do something tomorrow morning, so I'm not really interested in getting hangover and stuffs."

"Oh, is that so?" Karamatsu laughed, and this time he gave the spoonful of soup to Ichimatsu. "Try tasting it. Is the taste too much or anything you wanna add?"

He took the spoon with his right hand, and carefully, not to get too closed with the baby, he tried to sip the soup. Tasting it for a while, and it kind of making him smile a bit. "Nah, this is good." He handed back the empty spoon to Karamatsu, and continue to stroke his child after he pour his hand some antiseptic beforehand.

The soup tasted so great and warm, and Ichimatsu liked it so much.

(Now this is getting closer to what he can call as an ideal home.)


End file.
